What a wonderful day I’m having. So many light-bulb “ah-ha” moments!

I could write at least 10 blogposts right now!

Unfortunately, I only have five minutes, so I will simply list the main ideas here, without much commentary:

• I love teaching. It always makes me feel happier. Becoming aware of my sense of responsibility for the “other” wakes up my sense of responsibility for taking care of myself. They go together, and today I am becoming particularly aware of this.
• There is no stopping. (Yes, I do mean that. I know this one requires another blogpost to explain, but for now, that’s all I’m going to say! To my students: think about this one. What do you think I might mean? How could this be true?) Then, as true as that statement is, the opposite is equally true: to stop is essential.
• The Alexander Technique is 100% about letting go of judgment. It’s also 100% about other things (!), but today I am becoming especially aware of how incredibly helpful and necessary it is to stop judging – to stop judging “others” AND oneself. They go together. Everything comes down to non-judging acceptance of what is in this moment, right now. Don’t judge yourself (especially for judging yourself!), stay in the present moment, and everything will work itself out for the best.
• The breath cannot be free if the neck is not free. And yet, both are always free…to be as they are right now. Accepting the neck (and the self) as it is right now – recognizing your freedom to be as you are – is the essential first step to effect change.  Actually, it’s a constant step – the first and the last and everything between.
• There is no such thing as posture. Well, yes there is… But why bother thinking about posture when it’s all too easy to over-focus on the body’s position that way, rather than the whole person and the infinite, flowing movement of life itself? Let’s think of our USE (how we are using our mind-body-self from moment to moment) instead of posture. How easy is your “use” of yourself right now? Which direction are you going in? Is your use going in a generally positive/helpful/healthy/expansive direction or a generally negative/unhelpful/unhealthy/contractive direction? If you’re asking this question sincerely – if you’re aware of and paying attention to your use – then it’s likely that this simple awareness is already taking you in a positive direction.
• It is possible to change directions in a moment. All you need to do is stop and pay attention. Observe whatever is arising for you in this moment – on the outside and on the inside. What do you notice? Notice one thing at a time and you might find that your curiosity awakens. Curiosity and learning go together. Wake up your curiosity – your desire to learn – and your use improves automatically.
• Awareness is everything! The Technique is 100% about awareness. As soon as you’re aware of something, it IS ALREADY changing.

  

• Trust that the awareness itself is effecting positive change and improving your use. Even if you don’t feel or notice a change in any way – trust that it is happening, and focus on your trusting!
• The neck aims back and up, and the head is movable and free of the neck. Positive resistance is taking responsibility!
• You’re probably pretty good at imagining worst-case scenarios. So, I’m going to give you an A+ in that, and I hereby declare that you don’t need to practice it anymore! Congratulations – you’ve graduated from that school of thought. Now: how good are you at imagining best-case scenarios? How about making one up right now? I believe in All-Possibility, meaning ANYTHING is possible. Why not focus on a possible miraculous solution? You never know… 🙂
• Gratitude is such a beautiful thing. I am so grateful for the people in my life who share in the awareness of being, and the love of being – together with me. This mutual awareness and this gratitude inspire JOY!

Maybe you’d like to stay with one of the above ideas for a little while. Notice what you notice. See if your curiosity wakes up. What happens when you start to embody one these ideas? Where does it take you?

I’d love to hear what happens. Let me know – leave me a comment! 🙂

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♥

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